Pennsylvania Club Shuts Down

YORK, PA -- Leader Health and Fitness in York Township, PA, abruptly closed Monday, leaving several hundred members temporarily out in the cold as the summer pool season heats up.

The York Daily Record reported Thursday that Leader Heath and Fitness members who signed month-to-month agreements for up to 12 months are now members of The Athletic Club of York, although members can cancel their memberships there beginning next Monday. The two clubs issued a joint statement Wednesday outlining the terms of the deal.

Plans initially included that all Leader memberships would be honored at The Athletic Club, but it was later determined that because of restrictions of state law, the club could not handle memberships that have term lengths greater than 12 months and certain paid-in-full memberships, the newspaper reported. Those members who signed long-term deals will receive refunds though Leader’s billing administrator. Some of those refunds had initially been paid for pool memberships and summer camp fees, the newspaper reported.

Travis Aldinger, co-owner of the Athletic Club, expects between 500 and 600 former Leader Health and Fitness members to join his 1,600-member club.

The York Dispatch reported Thursday that two other fitness facilities, the YWCA of York and Unique Physique Fitness Center, are offering free temporary passes to former Leader members.

Leader Health and Fitness owners have agreed to sell the property to Wellspan Health later this year. The decision to close, according to the Daily Record, was because the owners spent more money during the three years of the operation than they had expected to spend.

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General is investigating Leader’s business practices and has received complaints from members. Some members and staff say that potential members were given tours of the club as late as last weekend.